Coach Robin Pingeton’s words of optimism have never wavered as the Missouri women’s basketball team struggled through a winless Big 12 Conference campaign.

She has said she sees improvement in her young team and Saturday her words finally rang true, as the Tigers (11-14, 1-13 Big 12) pulled off their first conference win of the season with a 70-65 victory over the Kansas Jayhawks in Lawrence, Kan.

“I think it was just a matter of time that we were going to have that breakthrough game, and I couldn’t think of a better place than at KU,” Pingeton said.

Missouri’s win came in front of 6,402 fans at Allen Fieldhouse urging the Jayhawks on in the final Border Showdown matchup between the two rivals. Missouri shot 57 percent from the floor, its best percentage since 2005, and never trailed in the contest.

“To be able to do that on the road against such a big rival was huge for our team, and I’m really excited and proud of our players,” Pingeton said.

The win was the Tigers’ first since a Dec. 30 victory over Sam Houston State. That win had concluded the Tigers’ promising 10-1 non-conference record.

The Tigers preceded to lose their first 13 Big 12 games. Five of those losses came by six points or less.

Freshman Morgan Eye described the post-game locker room as excitement filled with players screaming, high-fiving and hugging.

“We were just really excited to get that burden of not having a win off our shoulders,” Eye said.

Senior forward Christine Flores said the team’s work ethic was deserving of a win.

“Even though we’ve been close in every game and we’ve had moral victories by getting better and better each game, when it shows up on the scoreboard it’s always that much better,” Flores said.

Flores said she could sense a feeling of confidence in the locker room before the game, and when the Jayhawks mounted a late rally, that confidence never shook.

“Everyone knew we could do it this time,” Flores said. “It was just a completely different feel going in from everybody in the locker room.”

Freshman Kyley Simmons said the Tigers were simply sick of losing and came out with the energy and fight they needed to pick up a win.

All three players struggled to pinpoint what exactly went right on Saturday, but Flores may have put it best.

“Everything was just going right for us,” Flores said.

Flores led the Tigers with 24 points Saturday, her 11th 20-point game of the season.

She said Saturday’s win lifted a burden off the seniors’ shoulders and will help them moving forward.

“Everyone knows we can win now,” Flores said.

The Tigers will look to keep their momentum going Tuesday when they travel to Iowa State.

“We’re not stopping,” Simmons said. “We got through the brick wall, and now we’re going to keep going full speed.”